Gloucestershire Genealogy

Royal Marine Service Record

The following are transcripts of the Royal Marines Record for
Alfred James Flight. The grammar, spelling and punctuation are all as per the
original document. Words within square brackets [ ] are guesses! The original
documents are in the Public record Office, Kew, in section ADM 157/172.

They are split into two sections:-

Part 1, the Attestation, signed when he joined in 1841.

Part 2, the Divisional Board's papers relating to his discharge
on completion of twenty one years service.

Part 1. Attestation

UNLIMITED SERVICE
ATTESTATION FOR ROYAL MARINES

QUESTIONS, To be separately asked by the Magistrate.

ANSWERS.To be sworn to by the Recruit.

1. What is your Name ?

Alfred James Flight

2 In what Parish, and in, or near what Town, and in what
County, were you born ?

In the Parish of Kings Stanley or near Stroudwater in the
County of Gloucester

3. What is your age ?

18 Years 4 Months on 26th Septr.

4. What is your Trade or Calling ?

Labourer

5. Are you an Apprentice ?

No

6. Are you married ?

No

7. Are you ruptured or lame; have you ever been subject to
Fits; or have you any Disability or Disorder which impedes the free use of
your limbs, or unfits you for ordinary labour ?

No

8. Are you willing to be attested to serve in the Royal
Marines until you shall be legally discharged ?

Yes

9. On what day, and by whom, were you enlisted ? *

On the 15th Septr. 1841 by [Cope] John Hodge of the Royal
Marines

10. For what bounty did you enlist ?

Three Pounds seventeen shillings & Sixpence

11. Do you now belong to the Militia ? **

No

12. Do you belong to the Army, or to the Marines, Ordnance,
or Navy ?

No

13. Have you ever served in the Army Marines, Ordnance, or
Navy ? ***

Enlisted with the Royal Marine recruiting party and paid the
[ Silver]

I Alfred Jas. Flight do make Oath that the above Questions have been
separately put to me; that the Answers thereto have been read over to me; and
that they are the same that I gave and are true.

I do also make Oath, that I will be faithful and bear true Allegiance to Her
Majesty, Her Heirs, and Successors, and that I will, as in duty bound, honestly
and faithfully defend Her Majesty, Her Heirs, and Successors, in Person, Crown
and Dignity, against all Enemies, and will observe and obey all Orders of Her
Majesty, Her Heirs, and Successors, and of the Generals and Officers set over
me.

So help me God.

Witness my Hand

Sworn before me at
Gloucester this 17th day of September One Thousand
Eight Hundred and Forty One

Alfred James Flight {Signature of the Recruit.

Josh Harris Witness present.

Signature of the Magistrate. D.M.Walker

* The Recruit cannot be attested sooner than Twenty-four Hours, nor later
than Four Days after his Enlistment. Clause of Mutiny Act.

** The Magistrate is directed, in putting the 11th Question to the Recruit,
and before he receives his Answer, distinctly to apprize the Recruit, that if he
belongs to the Militia and denies the fact, he is liable to Six Months'
Imprisonment.

*** If so, the Recruit is to state particulars of his former Service, and the
cause of his Discharge, and is to produce the Certificate of his Discharge, if
he has it with him.

ARTICLES OF WAR

The Third, Fourth, and Fifth Articles of the Second Section
of the Articles of War against Mutiny.

3.--'Any Marine Officer or Marine, who shall begin, excite, cause, or join in
any Mutiny or Sedition, in the Company to which he belongs, or in any other
Company, Troop, or Regiment, either of Marine or Land Forces in her Majesty's
Service, or in any Party, Post, Detachment, or Guard, on any pretence
whatsoever, shall suffer Death, or such other Punishment as by a Court-martial
shall be inflicted.'

4.---'Any Non-commissioned Officer or Marine, who being present at any Mutiny
or Sedition, does not use his utmost Endeavours to suppress the same, or coming
to the Knowledge of any Mutiny, or intended Mutiny, does not without delay give
Information thereof to his commanding Officer, shall be punished by a
Court-martial with Death, or otherwise, according to the Nature of the Offence.'

5.---'Any Marine Officer or Marine, who shall strike his superior Officer, or
draw, or offer to draw, or shall lift up any weapon, or use any Violence against
him, being in the execution of his Office, on any pretence whatsoever, or shall
disobey any lawful Command of his superior Officer, shall suffer Death, or such
other Punishment as shall, according to the Nature of his Offence, be inflicted
upon him by the sentence of a Court-martial.'

The First Article of the Third Section of the Articles of War against
Desertion.

All Marine Officers and Marines, who having received Pay, or having duly
enlisted in the service, shall be convicted of having deserted the same, shall
suffer Death, or such other Punishment as by a Court-martial shall be
inflicted.'

Description of Alfred James Flight

Age, apparently 18 1/3

Height 5 Feet 7 ¾ Inches

Complexion Fresh - Fair

Eyes hazel

Hair light

Any Distinctive Mark Initials A.F. on left arm

City of Gloucester To wit I David Mowbray Walker one of Her Majesty's
Justices of the Peace of the said city do hereby certify that the above is the
description of the Recruit Alfred James Flight and that in my presence all the
foregoing Questions were put to the said Alfred James Flight that the Answers
written opposite to them are those which he gave to me; and that the 3rd, 4th,
and 5th Articles of the second section

of the Articles of War against Mutiny, and the first article of the 3rd
section of the Articles of War against Desertion, were read over to him, that he
took the Oath of Allegiance and Fidelity, that he received the sum of Two
shillings & Sixpence on being attested this day, and that I gave him a duplicate
of this Certificate, signed with my name.

D.M.Walker {Signature of the Magistrate.

SURGEON's CERTIFICATE

I have examined the above-named Recruit, and find that he has no rupture nor
Mark of an old Wound or Ulcer adhering to the bone; he is free from Varicose
Veins of the Legs, and has the full Power of Motion of the Joints and Limbs. He
is well formed, and has no Scrofulous Affection of the Glands, Scald Head or
other inveterate Cutaneous Eruptions; and he is free from any trace of Corporal
Punishment. His Respiration is Easy, and his Lungs appear to sound. He has the
perfect use of his Eyes and Ears. His general appearance is healthy, and
possesses Strength sufficient to enable him to undergo the fatigue to which
Soldiers are liable. I consider him fit for Her Majesty's Service. He has the
following Marks or Scars :

Dated Gloucester this 16 day of September 1841

Signature of Surgeon } Auburn D Cookson

Confirmed I Miller RM's

Alfred J. Flight having been finally approved, I have caused his Name,
Age, Date of Attestation, and every prescribed Particular to be recorded in the
Regimental Register, with No. [7 Co] affixed to his Name; and I certify that I
am satisfied with the correctness of his Attestation, and that the forms
required by the Mutiny Act appear to have been complied with,

Part 2. Discharge

G 4rms 7/61

No. 135

Proceedings of a Divisional Board, held for the purpose of verifying
and recording the Service, Conduct, Character, and cause of Discharge of [11v]
Company A. J. Flight Corporal Plymouth Division of the Royal Marines.

President Lieut. Col. G [Lambert]

Members Captain G. Drury

" J. [Cobb]

11v th Co. A. J. Flight Corporal appeared, and the Board having personally
examined and compared the Divisional Records, and other Documents, report to the
following effect.

Born

in the Parish of Kings Stanley in or near the Town of Stroudwater in the
County of Gloucester by Trade or Profession a Labourer

Attested

for the Plymouth Division, at Gloucester in the County of Gloucester on
the 17th Sept. 1841 at the Age of 18 Years 4 Months, and
---------- Days

Service

which he is entitled to reckon, after making every reduction required by
Her Majesty's Regulations, up to the 9th Octr. 1862, is 21 Years

-------- Months, and 23 Days, the details of which as extracted from
Divisional Documents are as follows :--

REMARKS

This mans' [name] appear [four] times in the Divisional Defaulters book,
is in possession of 4 good conduct badges. He produced 7 certificates 5 marked
very good", 2 good from ships in which he served. Also produces 2 certificates,
one from Capn. [DeCorsey] R.M. [one] from Capn. Farmer R.M. both testifying to
his good conduct.

He has a [Baltic] medal, [&] is entitled [to a] [China] medal.

Yrs.

Mths.

Days

Served on board HMS ships

.

.

.

"Aetna" from 14 June 1842 to 11 Mar 1844

1

.

272

[Queen] Supt. 19 Apl 1846 12 Oct 1846

.

.

177

Caledonia Supt.

.

.

& Avenger 9 Jany 1847 3 May 1847

.

.

115

San Josef 28 Jany 1848 6 May 1848

.

.

100

Howe Supt 2 June " 24 July "

.

.

53

Superb 25 July " 28 Nov "

.

.

127

Impregnable 31 July 1849 31 Dec 1851

2

.

154

St. George 4 Sept 1852 21 Feb 1854

1

.

171

Ry William 22 Feb 1854 4 Sept 1855

1

.

195

"Belleisle" 28 Mar 1857 3 Aug 1859

2

.

129

.

.

.

Total Service Afloat and on Foreign Stations

11

.

23

Total Service on Shore, in the United Kingdom, 9 Years - Months 353
days.

Cause of Discharge of 110 Company A. J. FlightCorporal Royal Marines is length of service at his own request he having
served 21 years and upwards

The Officers composing the Divisional Board having
examined the Defaulter's Book, and received Parole Testimony from other
sources, are of opinion that his general Conduct and Character is
Very Good

Pay

and

Clothing

being asked up to what period he has been paid, answered
that his Ledger Account is balanced up to 9th October 1862
inclusive

Being further asked whether he has any other claim on the Service for
Pay, Arrears of Pay, Allowance, or Clothing, answered that he has none,
except a [china] medal.

The Board have verified that his Ledger Account is correctly balanced, and
signed by the Pay Captain of his Grand Division.

And they further declare that they have impartially inquired into, and
faithfully reported their opinion on, all the matters brought before them,
in accordance with the Regulations and Instructions thereon issued by The
Lords Commisioners of the Admiralty.